Posts tagged ‘competitive’

For many years the International Warehouse Logistics Association has held an annual IT conference. This year the conference is being held in Chicago over Nov. 6-8. Details of the conference can be found here.

At $299 (IWLA Members) per attendee this educational event provides a fantastic ROI. Non-members are also welcome and I recommend the conference to you for your IT and operations staff.This event is for everyone in the warehouse who touches technology or oversees any aspect of operations. Of course, C-level executives who direct operations and technology employees will also reap benefits by attending. Be sure you’re there to network with these warehouse-based 3PL leaders and to learn more about the future of your trade association.

As a board member of the association I can attest to the value of both the association itself and the educational offerings provided for members. I look forward to seeing you, and your key IT and operations players, in Chicago in November.

As this year is coming to an end, how have your operations emerged from the Great Recession? The 2012 Logistics Management survey has revealed major trends and offers a first-hand look into the state of today’s DC and warehouse operations:

52 percent of respondents are adopting a more cautious approach, spending less than $250,000 for warehousing equipment and technology in 2012.

17 percent of respondents are spending $1 million or more in 2012, and another 16 percent are planning to spend that same amount in 2013.

“2011: A rather unremarkable year” for logistics statistics.

From time to time an article grabs my attention enough to make me want to share it. The 23rd Annual State of Logistics report by The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) was such an article.

This report provides a clear indication of the current position of Logistics in the USA and looks attrends within the industry that will impact your business, today and tomorrow. The report highlights the fact that recovery of the economy has been very slow and inconsistent. The fragility of the world’s economy will continue this trend and make business’ focus on efficiencies in their supply chain.

Some key highlights of the report:

Inventory carrying costs increased 7.6% over prior year

Logistics cost equaled 8.5% of GDP in 2011 – trending up from a low of 7.9% in 2009

Trucking (77% of transportation component) increased 6.2% year on year

Rail grew 15.3%

All other transport sectors declined

Intermodal was the real growth element of transportation – a trend that will grow very significantly in the near future.

The report takes an in-depth look at each transport mode & explains the basis for trends in each.

The ABECAS Insight Accounting Software system is a powerful “Activity-Based Costing” (ABC) System. It is an accounting solution that is easily mapped to your business processes.

If you want to know how your costs are structured and what opportunities exist for cost reduction, then Activity Based Costing (ABC) is the answer.

ABC allows you to understand your costs at an activity level and see a breakdown by type of expense for each activity (work phase or task). This breakdown is by a “production unit”, often referred to as a “cost center” (job or project). Hence, ABC is a three dimensional breakdown of costs by cost center, activity and account. This provides a level of detail that allows meaningful cost control decisions to be made.